The California Aftermath
by ynotlleb
Summary: One year on from "The Double Date Aftermath" and "The Nebraska Aftermath" Penny and James return to California.
1. Nebraska

_**Sequel to "The Double Date Aftermath" and "The Nebraska Aftermath. Story starts one year after the wedding of Bernadette and Leonard.**_

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Penny and her boyfriend Dr. James Thomas were having lunch in the Coffee Shop near the Community College. Penny worked at the Coffee Shop on her return to Nebraska before she got a job at the Community College.

James kissed Penny and said "OK, I have to go and teach."

"Have fun, we have a meeting this afternoon to discuss the interviewees for the administrative assistant post. I should be home at the usual time."

"See you later Penny"

"Bye Cowboy."

Penny had a few minutes before she needed to return to work so she checked email on her phone as she drank her tea.

"Howard Wolowitz, who would have thought it?"

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That evening when Penny got home she had a question for James.

"Hey Cowboy, remember last year when we went to California for Leonard's wedding."

"Yes, I remember."

"My friend Howard Wolowitz is getting married in Pasadena, we have a wedding invitation for 3rd August."

"Wolowitz, was that the tall skinny weird one?"

"No that was Sheldon. Howard is the little weird Jewish one."

"OK, as it is for you I will go to California for the wedding of Dr. Wolowitz."

"You outrank him Dr. Thomas, the other three boys have doctorates but Mr. Wolowitz only has a masters degree. Howard is going to marry Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, she joined Leonard's group of friends after I left California. I vaguely remember her from Leonard's wedding but I don't know that much about her. Anyway, they are using the same venue that Leonard used."


	2. Pasadena

_**Sequel to "The Double Date Aftermath" and "The Nebraska Aftermath. Penny and James return to Pasadena.**_

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August 2nd. Sheldon had invited Penny and James to join the rest of the social group for Pizza the night before the wedding. Penny led James into the the apartment building and automatically headed for the stairs.

"Penny, there is an elevator."

"Oh, that's not worked for years."

"Are you sure?"

James pressed the button - Ding! - and the elevator doors opened.

"Well what do you know, they fixed the elevator."

Penny knocked on the door of 4A

Knock knock knock "Sheldon" knock knock knock "Sheldon" knock knock knock "Sheldon"

"Good evening Penny" as Penny gave Sheldon a friendly hug, "and welcome Dr. Thomas" as Sheldon shook his hand.

"Howard" as Penny hugged the groom, "and you must be Amy. Do you remember my boyfriend Dr. James Thomas? Who would have thought I would I ever attend Howard's wedding, congratulations."

Raj had a pained expression on his face. Then Amy took his hand.

"Come on Raj, you can talk to me and you can talk to Bernie now. This is your old friend Penny."

Raj took a deep breath and then, in a rather high pitched voice said

"Hello Penny, welcome back."

"Oh Raj, wonderful to hear your voice" as she hugged him. "Do you remember Dr. James Thomas."

Penny then gave Bernadette a friendly hug, just like for the rest of her friends the hug lasted a few seconds. However, when Penny hugged Leonard it took more than a minute before they let go of each other, and that was after James said a rather load "Ahem". Penny then kissed Leonard on the cheek and said "good to see you again Leonard."

Penny then said "wonderful to see you all again, what time is the Pizza coming? Don't sit there please James, that is Sheldon's spot."

Bernadette said "Sorry James, Sheldon sits there, even though he lives across the hall these days since we got married last year."

Leonard said "I never thought I would say this, but how is life in Academia Penny?"

"Life is good Leonard, I get to keep all those doctors of philosophy in line and I get to work with the wonderful James. So Howard and Amy, are you ready for tomorrow?..."


	3. Wedding

_**Sequel to "The Double Date Aftermath" and "The Nebraska Aftermath. Penny and James attend a wedding.**_

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August 3rd. Leonard was best man and Bernadette was maid of honour at the wedding of Howard and Amy. Penny and James were amongst the guests at the wedding.

Leonard was master of ceremonies at the post wedding celebrations and he began the speeches

"Hello everybody, both scientists and normal people, welcome one and all to Pasadena on this special day for the wedding of my friends Howard and Amy. It so good to see so many friends and family members of the newlyweds. I would like to say how wonderful it is that our old friend Penny has come all the way from Nebraska for the wedding, it has been good to see her and her Physicist boyfriend James here today..."

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20 minutes later Howard the groom started his speech. "Thank you all for joining me and my wonderful wife Amy today on our wedding day. Our best man Leonard and maid of honour Bernadette got married last year. Raj and Sheldon, who is going to be next?...

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Penny had a great time at the post wedding celebration, she enjoyed being on the dance floor and catching up with old friends. However, she could see that James was looking more and more uncomfortable. They had an early flight home to Nebraska in the morning so they decided to leave early.

Penny said to the bride and groom. "Congratulations to you two, thanks for the wedding invitation, it has been good to catch up with everyone. Where are you going on your honeymoon?"

Howard said "We have a week in Florida to visit some relatives who couldn't make it today." Then Amy said "after that we have a week in Paris!"

Penny hugged Howard and Amy goodbye. James shook Howard's hand and got a farewell kiss from Amy. When they said goodbye to Raj and Sheldon Raj was drunk and trying to persuade Sheldon to help in trying to find their future wives amongst the guests.

Penny gave Leonard and Bernadette friendly farewell hugs, Bernadette then hugged James and said "thanks for coming all the way from Nebraska, please look after Penny."


	4. Airport

_**Sequel to "The Double Date Aftermath" and "The Nebraska Aftermath. The day after the wedding.**_

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Penny and James had to be at LAX for 8.00am for their flight back fo Nebraska. However, when they got there they found out their flight had been delayed by 4 hours. James was not happy about this, even when the airline gave them $400 in compensation.

Penny said "Come on Cowboy, I know that you want to get home to Nebraska as soon as possible. We have a few more hours in California, let's enjoy them and go to the beach for breakfast."

1 hour later they were at the beach in Santa Monica.

"I am glad to be back living in Nebraska but this is one bit of California I do miss."

"I suppose you came here all the time with Dr. Hofstadter?"

"No, Leonard hated the beach. I was only able to drag him here once."

"Was it strictly necessary to hug him for over a minute, I know it is good to see old friends but that was very embarrassing."

"I am sorry about that, you are right Cowboy. Leonard is married to Bernadette now, he is not my boyfriend any more, I should have not have hugged him that way."

"I am happy that your friends got married and I am sure it was great for you to be there on their special day. However, this whole weekend has reminded me of the life I left behind when I escaped from Berkeley. Some of your scientist friends are very strange, I feel I have very little in common with your skinny friend Sheldon even though we both have Physics PhDs. I was trying to talk to some guy called Dr. Kripke last night, I could barely understand anything he was saying? I didn't really enjoy this weekend."

"Thank you for coming with me James. Shall we return to the airport so we can fly home to good old Nebraska."

"Thank you Penny, I love you."

"I know."

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1 hour later Penny and James had returned to LAX, they were waiting by the gate for their flight home when Penny heard a familiar voice.

"Penny", it was Howard holding hands with his new wife. They both had huge smiles on their faces.

"Hello Howard and Amy. How is married life?"

In unison they said "wonderful!" then the newlyweds gave Penny and James friendly hugs.

Then James said "Thank you for inviting us to your wedding."

Amy said "I am glad you could make it, I thought you were leaving early in the morning?"

"The flight was delayed."

"Oh I see, if you will excuse us our flight to Miami is boarding in 20 minutes."

"Have fun on your honeymoon."

"We will, safe journey home."


	5. Nebraska again

_**Sequel to "The Double Date Aftermath" and "The Nebraska Aftermath. Back to Nebraska.**_

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One week after the wedding Penny and James were horse riding together in Nebraska.

"Oh Penny, you can keep your California when we can do this in Nebraska. Life is good."

"Looking good there Cowboy. A question for you Dr. Thomas, would you like to go to another wedding? Don't worry, this one isn't going to be in California, I think this one will be in good old Nebraska."

"Who is getting married?"

"Well this depends on how you answer my next question?..."

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Nine months later, on a fine Spring day in Nebraska, Penny and James got married. Leonard, Bernadette, Howard, Amy, Sheldon and Raj were amongst the wedding guests.


End file.
